Chapter 19 Chapter Four Manuel.Mr. Asançon's final reminder

From the day that Jean became Jeanne, the daughter of Colonel Kellmer rescued from the Orinoco, could no longer continue to falsely claim to be Sergeant Martial's nephew, Jacques.Eloch has developed a special feeling, need we say more about it? It was impossible for Jeanne not to understand the nature of this feeling.She is actually twenty-two years old this year, but she looks only sixteen or seventeen in youth clothes.It was only natural that she could see the other party's intentions. And Germain, who was said by his companions to be ignorant of such matters.Paterna, to Jacques.The development process of Eloch's thoughts and feelings can also be clearly seen.He knew that if he went to his companion and said: Jacques, you are in love with Jeanne.De.If Miss Kellmer said it, the answer I had to wait for myself must be: My poor friend, you don't know anything about such things!

For this reason, Germain.Paterna has been looking for an opportunity to express his views on this issue, even if only to prove by himself, whether it is a naturalist or other learned so-and-so, for the unspeakable kind that the world claims Emotions are not ignorant! As for Sergeant Marshall, he was terribly unlucky with the events that followed along the way. The secret was exposed, the plan was ruined, the cover-up was perfect, and the damned Qiu Basco ruined everything. Nor can it be claimed to be Jean.De.Uncle of Kellmer, because the boy became a girl, and he is not related in any way.Thinking of these, what thoughts would he have?

In his heart, he was very angry with himself and everyone else. When the wind was blowing, he could have prevented Jean from falling into the river. After the incident, he should have jumped down by himself instead of letting another person rescue him. come up.This Jacques.Why should Eloch help?What's the matter with him?However, he did another good thing, because without him, he no, she would definitely die.Of course, it can be believed that the situation will not go any further, and the secrecy has so far been closely guarded.Martial observed Jeanne's rescuer for a while, and his attitude was always measured, without any suspiciousness. I hope that when he and his colonel face to face again, the colonel will not accuse him of anything.

Poor Sergeant Martial! Early in the morning, Jean woke him up. The three of Manuel and his son were already waiting outside the house. Two of their compatriots had stepped out of the boat a quarter of an hour earlier and had arrived almost at the same time. Good morning everyone.Jacques.Elloch said repairs to Garinetta are progressing well and the ship will be ready to sail the next day. A group of people then walked towards the rubber plantation.The rubber tapping workers have also arrived at the work site. It is said to be a rubber plantation, but it is actually a large miscellaneous forest, and the rubber trees in it are only marked during the rubber tapping season.Tapping rubber is not to chop, but to squeeze the juice and make a cut in the bark, just like the method of collecting succulent tree juice in some parts of Australia.

When the rubber tapping workers started to get busy, Manuel led the guests into the rubber forest covered in the sun. Who else is the most curious among the visitors and the one who is most interested in this event?Naturalist Germain, of course.Paterna.He wants to go up to take a closer look, and the enthusiastic commissioner will answer any questions. The method of picking glue couldn't be easier. First of all, each worker holds a sharp and unusually small axe, and cuts several holes in the bark of the one hundred or so rubber trees assigned to him in units of units. Is there any limit to the number of incisions?Germain.Paterna asked.

From four to twelve, it depends on the thickness of the trunk. Mr. Manuel said that the cutting technique is very particular, and the depth of the scratch on the bark must be just right. So, Germain.Paterna said it should not be likened to amputation but to bloodletting. After the cut was made, the sap flowed along the trunk into a small pot, which was placed so cleverly that all the sap could be poured into it without wasting a drop. How long can the sap flow?Germain.Paterna asked. six to seven days.Manuel replied. Jacques.Ailoch and his companions wandered around the rubber forest for most of the morning. Sergeant Martial made an apt analogy, saying that the actions of the rubber tappers were like drilling holes in wine barrels to extract wine.Seven hundred rubber trees underwent phlebotomy surgery, which ensured another bumper rubber harvest.

Everyone rushed back to the host's house for lunch.The hungry people ate very happily. Manuel's two sons took people to hunt in the nearby woods. The prey was cooked under the supervision of their mother. It was delicious.The fish caught or shot by two workers in the morning on the banks of the Orinoco was also tender and tasty.The fruits and vegetables produced on the farm are also delicious, especially the pineapples that are harvested every year. Germain.Paterna visited the rubber collection and saw the incision process, but his curiosity was not satisfied. He asked Manuel to explain the next steps to him.

If you can live in Danaco for a few more days, the commissioner said, you'll see: The glue flows more slowly in the first few hours after the incision is made.So it will take about a week for the glue to drain completely. That is to say, after a week you have collected all the glue No, Mr. Paterna.Tonight, the workers will bring back the glue collected during the day and smoke it immediately to make the glue solidify.The specific method is to pour the glue on a thin wooden board, light a pile of freshly broken branches, put the wooden board on the thick smoke to smoke, the glue will gradually harden and condense, and then pour it on the wooden board Apply a layer of glue.After repeating this process, a long strip of rubber is made. At this time, the rubber harvesting work is completed and can be sold.

Before the arrival of our compatriot Trusson, Jacques.Did the Indians really know nothing about rubber harvesting, Elloch asked? Almost ignorant, replied the commissioner; they had no idea what rubber was worth.Therefore, no one can imagine how much commercial and industrial benefits rubber will bring to the local area.It was the Frenchman Truzon, who first taught the Indians the technology of tapping rubber in San Fernando and then in Esmeralda.Today rubber is the most important industry in this part of America. Oh, long live Monsieur Truzon!Long live his country!Germain.Paterna's voice was not like shouting, but like singing.

Everyone enthusiastically cheered for Mr. Truzon and France. Take a nap for a few hours at noon.In the afternoon, the commissioner advised guests to go to port to see the crew working on the repairs.He wanted to check for himself how the quality of the work was. We walked across the fields of the farm towards the river bank, listening to Mr. Manuel talk about his farm with the pride of the owner. Walking to the port, Garine Tower has been fully repaired and is about to be re-launched.Moriche swayed with the waves on the other end of the cable. With the help of the crew and farm workers, Valdez and Pashaer have successfully repaired the hole in the boat.The commissioner is very satisfied, and now both boats are strong and strong, fully capable of carrying out the next stage of travel.

What needs to be done now is to push the Garine Tower from the river bank into the water. After launching, put up the canopy, erect the mast, and reload the goods into the cabin. Martial and Jean can go back to the boat tonight. , the fleet will be on the road early tomorrow morning. At this moment, the sun is setting and purple clouds are piled up on the horizon, which indicates that the westerly wind will rise, which is beneficial to the boat. The crew and workers set out to push Garinetta into the river, Manuel.The Asançons and their passengers were walking along the shore. Among the people pushing the boat together, the commissioner's eyes fell on Holles, who looked so different from the other crew members. Who is this man?the Commissioner asked. A crew member aboard Garine Tower.Jacques.Elloch replied. He is not Indian. No, he is Spanish. Where did you hire him? in San Fernando. Was he by profession a sailor on the Orinoco? He didn't do it for a living, but we were short of a crew and this Spaniard wanted to go to Santa Juana, so he came forward and Valdez hired him. Holles sensed that someone was talking about him, and while he was working, he listened attentively to what the other person said about him. Jacques.Ai Luohe immediately thought of a question, and asked: Do you know this person? No, said Manuel, he's been up the Orinoco? Barre the Indian said he had seen him in Calida, but Horace himself denied having been there. I saw this man for the first time, the commissioner said, and I noticed him because he looked so different from an Indian.You said he was going to Santa Juana? His wish, it seems, was to join a missionary group.He was a novice monk before he came out to make his way as a seaman.According to him he had met Father Esperante in Caracas eleven or twelve years ago.This may be true, since the description of the priest's appearance he gave us is very similar to that you have given us. All in all, Mr. Manuel said, it doesn't matter if the man is good or bad at sailing, but in this kind of place beware of adventurers who come out of nowhere and don't know where they're going.maybe Your reminder will always be in my mind, Mr. Manuel, Jacques.I'll keep an eye on the Spaniard, said Elloch. Did Holles hear what was said just now?Anyway, nothing can be seen from the surface.There were a few times, though, when his eyes blazed with undisguised anxiety.Garinetta was pushed back into the water and the moor was moored alongside Moriche.The commissioner and the passengers walked towards the ship, and the topic changed to other aspects, but Horace still listened with his ears up, and at the same time made a nonchalant expression. At the moment, everyone is talking about the fact that the upper Orinoco will have more turbulent currents, and Manuel, in particular, emphasizes the need to keep the boat in top condition in order to be able to proceed smoothly. You'll also have quite a few rapids, he said, shorter and easier than those in Apre and Maépre, but it will take a lot of effort.Sometimes it is necessary to tow the boat on the reef. Unless it is a particularly strong boat, it cannot be used after one trip.I see Sergeant Martial's boat in pretty good shape.I suppose they didn't overhaul your boat, Mr. Elloher? Don't worry about it, Mr. Manuel, I have already ordered them to check it. Pashaer inspected the bottom of Moriche's boat, and it is firm. It is completely trustworthy that our two boats will pass through the rapids safely. It's enough for Tzubasco, too, don't you say, this wind is just as terrible anywhere in the river? It is true, said the commissioner, that these difficulties would be too much for negligence, and for the employment of crews unfamiliar with the conditions of the river.Moreover, this is not the most terrible. What could be more terrifying?Marshall asked anxiously. It is the possible danger posed by the Indians on both sides of the strait. Mr. Manuel, Jean, do you mean the Guaharibi? No, my dear boy, the Commissioner smiled, the Guaharibs are not bad.I know that the outside world has always regarded them as murderous people.In 1879, when Colonel Kellmer was going to the headwaters of the Orinoco, several villages were destroyed and the villagers massacred. At that time, it was thought that the Guaharibes did it! Maybe my father was also attacked by the Guaharib, said Jean, so he fell into the hands of those people, didn't he? no no!Jacques.Elloch hastened to say that Mr. Manuel had no doubt that he had never heard of Yes, yes, Mr. Elloher, and you, my dear boy, I repeat, your father could never have been harmed by these Indians, whose bad name had been given them fifteen years ago. Rehabilitated, scrubbed clean. Have you had any dealings with them, Mr. Manuel?Germain.Paterna asked. Yes, several times.When Mr. Xia Fangrong came back from the upper reaches, he described these Indians to me. He said that they were quite pitiful, short in stature, weak in physique, timid and fearful, and would run away at every turn. In short, there was nothing to fear.My own later personal experience confirmed what Mr. Xia Fangrong said, so I will not tell you to beware of the Guaharibu people, but to remind you to beware of those adventurers who came from all over the world to the South American grasslands, and pay attention to those bandits who do all kinds of evil. The government should have dispatched militias to encircle them and drive them all away! can i ask a questionGermain.Paterna said, isn't the danger to the travelers also a threat to the farm and its owners? Of course, Mr. Paterna.So in Danaco, me, my son and the workers are always on high alert.If the gangsters dared to invade the farm, we would find them in time, and we would never be caught off guard. They would be greeted with a hail of bullets, and they would never try again.Besides, they also knew that the Marikitare of Danako were fearless, so they didn't dare to act rashly.For passengers sailing on the river, especially after passing Casiquiare, they must not relax their vigilance for a moment, because the shore is too unsafe. Yes, Jacques.Elloch said, We have heard that there is a large group of Kivas who are doing harm in this area. What a local misfortune!the commissioner said. He also said that the leader was an escaped convict. Yes, a scary one! We have heard more than once about this convict, said Martial, who seems to have escaped from the Cayenne prison. Cayenne Yes, not bad. Is this person French?Jacques.Elloch asked. No, Spanish, but sentenced in France.Manuel said with certainty. What's his name? Alphaniz. Alphaniz?It's an alias, right?Germain.Paterna said. I heard it was his real name. Now, Jacques.If Wenloch happened to think of taking a look at Holles, he would have seen his face twitch visibly.He began to walk along the river bank with small steps, pretending to pick up things scattered on the sand, and slowly approached the group of people to hear what they were saying more clearly. But Jacques.Ai Luohe didn't look at Holles, but a sudden yell attracted his attention. The cry was Sergeant Marshall calling out to the commissioner: Alfaniz?You said his name was Alphaniz? Yes, Alphard. Yes, you are right!It's not a pseudonym, it's the beast's real name. Do you know this Alfaniz?Jacques, Ai Luohe was taken aback, and asked quickly. Do I know him!Say, let, tell how we met him!I can't, my Spanish is so bad that Mr. Manuel can't understand me. So Jean told the story he had heard from Martial, and Martial had told Jean more than once in the old house at Chantenay, when they were talking about Colonel Kellmer. . In 1871, towards the end of the disastrous Franco-Prussian War, a colonel commanding a regiment of infantry was involved as a witness in a case involving theft and treason. The thief was none other than the Spaniard Alfaniz.While spying for the Prussians, the traitor also conspired with a soldier in the French military administration to steal.The despicable and pathetic soldier escaped punishment by committing suicide. Alfaniz's crimes were revealed, but he fled in time to catch him.Two years later, in 1873, he was caught purely by chance.About half a year later, Colonel Kellmer disappeared. Alfaniz was transferred to the Loire Felony Court, and Colonel Kellmer testified in court. His testimony proved irrefutably that Alfaniz was guilty, and he was sentenced to hard labor for life.Because of this incident, Alphaniz hated Colonel Kellmer to the core. He made the most vicious threats against the colonel, and threatened to take revenge one day. The Spaniards were sent to the Cayenne convict prison.After nineteen years in prison, in early 1892, he escaped with two fellow prisoners.He was twenty-three when he was sentenced, so he must have been forty-two when he escaped.Because he was regarded as a very dangerous element, the French authorities sent a large number of police officers to search for him, but to no avail.Alphaniz left Guyana, crossed the vast grasslands of Venezuela, and hid in the sparsely populated inland, how could he find his whereabouts again? In short, the news received by the French authorities is that the Venezuelan police are very sure about this. , the most feared of the Indians, the Kivas.Their former leader was slain on the heights of Serapia, and they were now regrouped under the command of Alphaniz.All the looting and massacres in the southern provinces of Venezuela over the past year were all committed by this gang. In this way, fate brought Alphaniz to South America, and Jeanne.De.Sergeants Kellmer and Martial were also trying to find the Colonel on this land.There is no doubt that if the colonel who had accused him fell into his hands, the convict would do whatever he could to get his revenge.It was a new blow to the already frightened girl to think that this shameless convict had escaped the law, and he hated his father so madly. Jacques.Ai Luohe and Manuel rushed to comfort her with good words.Colonel Kelmer's whereabouts have been investigated for so long and there is still no clue, how can Alphaniz find it?Impossible!There is no need to worry about the colonel falling into this guy's hands. In any case, the important thing is to be vigilant, continue to search, hurry up and overcome all difficulties. Ready to go.The crew under Valdez, of course, including Horace, was busy putting the items back into Garine Tower.It's going to be on the road tomorrow. Mr. Manuel took the guests back to the farm and invited them to spend the last night there.Guests can't thank enough for the warm hospitality they receive at Danaco. After dinner, the conversation between the host and guest became more lively.Everyone firmly remembered the commissioner's reminder over and over again, especially the exhortation that they should be vigilant at all times on board. At last the time of farewell came, and the Asançons sent the passengers to the port. The host and guest said goodbye to each other, shook hands tightly, and made an appointment to see each other when they returned.Mr. Manuel did not forget to add: By the way, Mr. Eloch, and you, Mr. Paterna, when you return to San Fernando and see those companions again, please express my heartfelt congratulations to Mr. Miguel!As for his two colleagues, curse them for me!Long live the Orinoco!Of course, the only real one that runs through the Danaco and irrigates my farm!